The Group by Sigge Eklund
What would you do to be one of them?
When Hanna moves to Spain for an internship at the prestigious Prado gallery, she finds herself spending her days buried in the museum's stifling archives, and her nights alone in a tiny rented flat.
Then one day she sees them; Tom, Samuel, and Leah. Glamorous and elegant, they are also foreigners in the city. But unlike her they are fabulously wealthy, their lives an endless whirl of creativity and hedonism. And when Hanna discovers an uncatalogued 17th century etching in the archive, she makes a decision which changes everything . . .
From the sultry streets of Madrid to the gleaming world of Mediterranean luxury villas and exclusive art world parties, as Hanna gets closer to her deepest desire, the stakes mount ever higher. Intoxicating and unputdownable, The Group is a timeless story of hidden identity and obsession.
Translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles.
Review
‘The Group’ is a sultry, sensual novel that examines, obsession, self-image and mental health. This is the first book that I have read by this author but I will be keeping an eye out to see what they do next. This was a heady tale, set in Spain and full of rich details about the culture, art and food.
Hanna has moved to Madrid to embark on an internship at the prestigious Prado, home of the Black Series by Goya, which Hanna studied for her thesis. But she finds herself lonely, sitting in cafes observing those around her who seem excited and happy. A group of two men and one girl attracts her attention and makes her wish she was like them. When she sees them at the Prado and realises that they are also Swedish, she inserts herself into their group. All four of them are complicated characters but Hanna feels content even if she can't quite keep up with them financially.
This is an ageless tale of humanity, society and loneliness and a desire to be accepted. All four of the group have their own issues but we only see them from Hanna’s perspective and her view can be pretty skewed. Not sure I particularly liked any of the characters, but maybe Hanna the least. But they are created in this way I think by the author. Readers sure love an unhinged character!
Let me know if you pick this up!
